


Of Waiting and Watching

by NicePumpkinSpice



Series: Of Sweet Memories and Guarded Moments [62]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 13:37:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3852772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicePumpkinSpice/pseuds/NicePumpkinSpice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen awaits news of the battle against Corypheus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Waiting and Watching

Cullen was thankful for the demands of his position as Commander. Reordering patrols, reinforcing defenses, and communicating with his officers all took time -time that he wasn’t spending actively worrying about Evelyn. Whenever he looked up at the Breach, though, time felt like the enemy. The gaping hole was still growing larger which meant the mark on Evelyn’s hand would still be spreading. Her last words to him before riding out to confront Corypheus were, “Look to the sky. You’ll know when it begins, and you’ll know when it’s over.” 

The Temple of Sacred Ashes was a relatively short journey from Skyhold. Cullen’s troops had created a makeshift roadway when they were actively engaged in rescue and recovery efforts in Haven. Cullen was relieved to think that Evelyn’s journey to Haven from Skyhold would be easier than the arduous journey to Skyhold they had made after Haven fell. Sitting at his desk, Cullen absentmindedly petted Bella who had been his constant companion since Evelyn left two days earlier.

Although Martha’s instinct was to hover over her son, James had insisted that they keep their distance. Cullen’s men needed to see their Commander being strong - not coddled by his mother - James argued. Still Martha had slipped into Cullen’s office every few hours to offer quick hugs or leave sweets although she made sure he was alone before doing so. 

Cullen picked up one of his mother’s cookies and placed Bella on the floor. Evelyn and the others would arrive at Haven soon. _Maker watch over them_ he prayed as he walked out to the battlements. Skyhold was eerily quiet. Guards and soldiers were at their posts nervously scanning the horizon and saying little. The great courtyard was empty. All nonessential personnel had been ordered to stay inside the main keep or return to their camps. 

From what Cullen heard from his soldiers, the small courtyard off the chapel was bursting with people praying for the Inquisitor’s success. Cullen smirked when he pictured Evelyn’s response to that. She loved the tidy rows of herbs that she carefully cultivated in that garden. Her precious plants were likely being trampled by well wishers. Evelyn would be positively twitchy when she saw the mess upon her return. No doubt she would be up all night replanting, getting covered in dirt and loam, and cursing people with no appreciation for order and herbology when she returned to Skyhold. _Maker, please, bring her back to us._

A flash of red lightning flared through the Breach. Cullen swallowed hard. The fight had begun. His fists clenched on the stone crenelation in front of him, and he cursed how powerlessness he felt. How many times could you send someone off to certain death and expect their return? Bella whimpered and nudged his leg. Cullen scooped the dog up who licked his face appreciatively and snuggled in his arms.

Cullen was concentrating so hard on watching the Breach and praying for Evelyn that he didn’t hear his father’s approach. “I thought I might stand with you, son,” James said after briefly placing his hand on Cullen’s back. Cullen nodded and said, “I’d like that, Pop.” Both men stood in silence side by side watching the sky. When asked later, Cullen would say that he couldn’t remember how long they stood vigil, but eventually the Breach filled with a blinding green light that mended the hole in the sky leaving only the faintest remnant of a scar in its place. Cullen shouted for joy and threw his arms around James who clapped him on the back several times while shouting, “She did it! She saved us!”

Then a nagging worry eased itself into Cullen’s mind. Evelyn had managed to close the Breach but did she survive doing so. The mark’s magic had nearly killed her once and sealing the primary rift below the breach had left her incapacitated for days. When she had healed the Breach the first time, she was backed by scores of mages helping to channel and focus the magical energies required. Could one person alone survive that much magic? _If anyone can do it, Ev can._ he told himself while trying to calculate how long it would take the first raven to reach Skyhold from Haven.

Cullen processed all those feelings and emotions in mere minutes, and then his mind returned to his men. They had been caught off guard celebrating in Haven after the first time the Breach was sealed. He wanted to make sure that this apparent victory didn’t turn into another disaster. Gathering several runners together, he ordered them to tell all guards and soldiers to remain at their posts. He then went personally to the Chantry courtyard and encouraged people to limit their revelry until the Inquisitor had returned and the all clear was given. At the very least, everyone would be sober if they came under attack.

Fortunately in the coming hours, no retaliatory strike was launched at Skyhold. Cullen still kept the Keep at high alert. He would not lower their guard until he had confirmation that Corypheus had fallen. As hours passed, he grew increasingly anxious for news from Haven and finally joined Leliana in her rookery to await a raven. 

Leliana wasn’t surprised to see Cullen when he came into her office. “Ah, Commander, you’ve shown more restraint than I expected. I thought you would have come here well over an hour ago to wait for word.”

“Have you heard something?” he asked excitedly.

“Nothing yet. The earliest I would expect word is two hours from now. Even my fastest birds can’t travel between Haven and Skyhold in less than fifteen hours. Still I am glad that you are here. I have news of my own to share. Before leaving for Haven, Cassandra told me that she asked to be withdrawn from consideration for becoming the next Divine. With the Inquisitor’s support, I am nearly guaranteed the position.” Leliana said with a smile.

“Congratulations! That is truly an honor, Leliana. While I may not agree with everything you hope to change about the Chantry, I know your faith in the Maker is strong. Did Cassandra say why she withdrew? That surprises me,” Cullen questioned.

“She did and didn’t,” Leliana replied. “Cassandra’s official reason was that she wants to focus on rebuilding the Seekers. I think her relationship with Varric played as much a part. While I won’t feel bound by old traditions of celibacy, she would have.”

“You’re even going to change that? You might have an easier time finding people to serve the Chantry in that case.” Cullen admitted while Leliana giggled.

“The Maker gave us the ability to love. Why should we not embrace that? There is another change I’d like to implement, and you can be integral to that. I want to make sure that all the faithful recognize that mages are the Maker’s children - fully entitled to live and love as others. It would be my honor if you would consent to allow me to marry Evelyn and you in the Grand Cathedral. The symbolism of a former templar being joined with the mage that saved Thedas will do much to heal the wounds left by the mage/templar conflict."

Cullen was overwhelmed by her offer. “I love the idea, Leliana. We’ll have to run it by Evelyn, but I can’t imagine she wouldn’t agree. We’d pretty much decided that we’d elope and have Varric’s friend Isabela perform the ceremony on open waters given the current Chantry’s position. With Evelyn’s propensity to get sea sick, we were concerned how the ceremony would go.” 

“Oh, that would have been disastrous. I’ve never seen anyone that sails so poorly,” Leliana confided.

Cullen looked around the rookery and asked, “So will you miss being a spymaster, Leliana?”

“I’m ready for a change. It’s easy to lose yourself when you work from the shadows. Evelyn helped me remember to stay true to myself, and I hope that I can bring Thedas into a new era of peace and acceptance,” Leliana said.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I wish you well in making changes to how mages are treated. I still think the Circles have a place if only to offer a safe haven for mages to learn their craft, but perhaps something better will arise in their absence. Will you rebuild the Templar Order?”

“No, I think its time has ended. Without lyrium, templars are no different that regular soldiers, and I would not want to bind people to service like the Chantry once did. The mages will self-regulate. It will not be perfect, but the old system was flawed, too.” Leliana explained.

“We’ll be waiting here for some time, Cullen. Do you want to get your chess board? See if you can outwit the next Divine?” Leliana offered.

“Certainly, although I’m well aware of your tendency to bend the rules. I’ll know if pieces start mysteriously disappearing or changing places.” Cullen warned.

“It’s only cheating if you’re caught, Commander.” Leliana teased.

“An interesting sentiment from a future religious leader,” Cullen observed and then left to collect his chess set.

Leliana and Cullen were well into their second game of chess when an old, bedraggled raven flew into the rookery.

“Baron Plucky!” Leliana cooed, “Let’s see what news our noble raven brings,” she said while opening the cartridge on his ankle.

“That is your fastest bird?” Cullen asked in disbelief.

“Oh, the Baron is my very best even if he is a bit haggard looking,” Leliana said while feeding the raven some raw meat. Holding out a small scroll to Cullen, she asked, “Shall I open this, or would you like the honors?”

“I’ll do it,” Cullen said nearly jumping out of his seat to grab the scroll. With shaking hands, he unrolled it to read the best news he’d ever seen:

_Corypheus dead. Mark stable. Team alive and well. Headed home._

**Author's Note:**

> Woohoo! Almost to the end of the main storyline. Will update again in 4-5 days. Check out my new story, "Finding Joy" if you haven't. It's at 12 chapters already. 
> 
> Thanks for the support you've shown me in this my first fanfiction. I really appreciate it more than you know.


End file.
